Hope For Tomorrow
by Anna Lane
Summary: 17 year-old Elena is in love with Stefan. 18 year-old Stefan is seduced by 21 year-old Caroline, Elena's sister, even though Caroline is dating Stefan's older brother, Damon, who's 23. So, how do Damon and Elena end up coming together in all this mess? Au, Orphan!Humans, drugs. ch. 3 up and rating change to M for Caroline's swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**Sum: 17 year-old Elena is in love with Stefan. 18 year-old Stefan is seduced by 21 year-old Caroline, Elena's sister, even though Caroline is dating Stefan's older brother, Damon, who's 23. So, how do Damon and Elena end up coming together in all this mess? Au, Orphan!Humans, drugs**

**A/N: You've only to inform me if you think it merits an M and I shall change the rating. Otherwise, tell me what you think. :)**

"What're you eating, kiddo?" Damon ruffled Elena's hair and she harrumphed.

She forgave him as he plopped on the couch next to her.

Caroline disappeared into Stefan's room.

"Cupcake bites." She popped another dry sugar ball into her mouth. "From the makers of Cookie Dough Bites," she said cheerily.

Damon just shook his head. "That's disgusting."

She laughed and waved one near his mouth. "You know you want one!" He swatted her away with mock horror which made her laugh again.

Daringly, she tackled him until she was on top of him where he sat. He laughed and she seized the moment to slip a nugget of the candy past his lips.

His teeth came down and the pressure from the tiny points made Elena catch her breath. Her eyes were locked on his and she didn't make a move to remove her finger. Slowly, Damon sucked her finger into his mouth and let his warm, wet tongue run over the trembling digit. His blue eyes were intensely fixed on hers. She almost couldn't keep them open. She didn't know how one small appendage could suddenly warm her entire body, or give her goose bumps everywhere. She learned forward and her lips were almost on his when suddenly laughter from the closed door jerked her away.

She hastily toppled off him, reluctantly pulling her finger along with her, and leaned so that her back was on the arm rest of the couch, her legs still partway in his lap. She didn't move them.

His hands drifted to rest somewhere on her thighs. She loved how warm they felt against her. She watched him stare blankly at some animal program on the TV. He absentmindedly started to chew the candy. When he was done he grimaced. "Ugh, the aftertaste is horrible."

Elena laughed. "Yeah, it kind of tastes like Athletes foot medicine."

Damon shook his head once more, "Disgusting."

Another bout of laughter came filing out of the room next to the them in the small apartment. Elena sighed. "Not as disgusting as that. How do you let them do it?"

Damon looked infinitely sad. "I guess because it makes them happy." His deep frown wavered as he looked at her. "But I'd never leave you alone while they did it, Elena."

"I'm not a kid you have to watch over," Elena said, frustrated.

"I know." Damon said seriously. "I'm just glad I don't have to feel left out when they do decide to do this. You're my excuse to say no, Elena." As it was, Damon couldn't understand why Caroline felt the need to bring Elena over when she decided to do this. Elena was still so young; she should be kept as far away from this as possible. The least Damon could do when they came over was close the door so Elena didn't have to experience it firsthand.

They were silent for a moment until Elena broke it by whispering. "Do you sometimes feel—like maybe we aren't enough for them? That maybe there's something wrong with us that we just can't make them happy?" Her lips trembled as she spoke, and her eyes filled with tears.

"Elena, darling," Damon voice was pained as he leaned towards her. He pushed a loose lock of hair behind her ear. "There's nothing wrong or _not enough_ about you…It's _them_. They can't handle the world the way it is…and I can't really blame them." He leaned back on his side of the couch and frowned as he thought.

He probably thought about his parents, how they'd died when he was thirteen and Stefan was seven. Their father took a hit and then he took a gun to his wife's head before ultimately shooting himself. Damon and Stefan were clearly both traumatized by it. The only difference was that Damon tended to shy away from drugs whereas Stefan sought them out.

Caroline and Elena hadn't fared much better. Children of wealthy parents, they were only ten and five when their parents were in a car crash that took both their lives. Elena had been in the car and she still had nightmares sometimes. Caroline and Elena had managed to stay together—the only price was one abusive foster home after another. Elena had never asked, but now that she was older she realized Caroline may have paid the ultimate price in more than one of those homes. Maybe that was why Caroline needed the drugs, too. To take her mind off the constant pain her life had been.

And maybe that was how Caroline and Damon had met. Two orphans with two younger siblings who just needed one person to understand them in the world. Elena understood that need. That was partly why she felt so close to Stefan. Sometimes they even talked about how much of a burden they felt to their older siblings. But she wished he didn't need the drugs. She wished she was enough.

After what seemed like hours, Caroline and Stefan stumbled out of the room, laughing uncontrollably and unsteady on their feet. Caroline draped herself across Damon. Elena had to move her feet so they wouldn't get crushed. "Ready for a night on the town, handsome?" Caroline held Damon's head as she gave him a sloppy kiss on the neck. She sagged awkwardly the next second.

Damon stood, supporting most of Caroline's weight with his arms. "I think we better get you to bed."

"No!" Caroline shrieked and giggled. She groped him lazily and kissed him in just the same way. "Make love to me!" She demanded with a slurred voice.

Damon gave up on trying to make her walk and started carrying her to his room. "Maybe when you're a little more clear-headed," he proposed, but she didn't like that idea. She fought in his arms like a toddler against nap-time.

Damon closed the door behind him and deposited Caroline on his bed. He fully intended to leave her there until she had burned it off, but her arms stayed clasped around his neck. With a strength that surprised him, Caroline pulled him down and against her. She attacked his mouth with her own. "Stay, touch me!" She begged. She thrust her body into his.

Damon finally gave in and started to kiss her back. He pulled away and looked into her eyes. He kissed her sweetly on the lips. "I care about you so much Caroline." He watched her eyes start to water and wondered if it was the drugs or his words.

He continued to kiss her softly when she pushed him away. "No, no! Stop. Stop!" Damon pulled back, confused. Caroline was crying steadily now as she shoved him away. "No more kissing tonight. I can't, I won't. I can't." Her tears choked any more words she might have had to say to Damon.

He meant to hold her, to comfort her as she cried, but it only took a moment for her to pass out among the tear-stained sheets and damp pillows. She was soon breathing softly, her tantrum forgotten with the draw of sleep. She still frowned as she dreamed. Damon drew a cover over her.

Elena watched them disappear into Damon's room. She turned to Stefan. He was crouched on the floor before her. His eyes were glazed over.

"You're beautiful," he said. His eyes were still mesmerizing even when the green was fringed with bloodshot red. He leaned in close to her and grabbed her hands. "I love you," he said solemnly.

She smiled softly. "I know." She replied tiredly. She looked away and just wished he could say that to her when he wasn't as high as a kite.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't keep doing this to you." He rocked back and his eyes closed, only to snap back open. "You're a princess!" He suddenly shouted, alarming Elena. She tried to shush him but he continued. "Too good for me!" He deemed loudly and heatedly.

The anger she saw shocked Elena. "No, Stefan!" She grabbed his shoulders to try and protest, but he was already falling over as he passed out. Her hands just barely kept his head from slamming into the floor. She regarded him where he lay slouched over and willed the tears away.

Elena was surprised when she saw Damon walk out of the room. She thought they'd be in there for hours. He looked at his brother and sighed. "Let me help you get him on the couch. On his side, in case he pukes." They hefted Stefan up gently and set him down.

They sat back on their heels and admired their passed-out handiwork on the couch. "You can take Stefan's bed. I'll take the floor." Damon said resignedly. It was almost a routine now.

Elena groaned loudly. She wasn't afraid she might wake Stefan. It usually took a small army, anyway.

"What is it?" Damon asked, although really, it wouldn't have surprised him if it were _everything._

"My homework and backpack are at home. And no way is Caroline going to wake up in time to take me back there before school. Sucks, too, because I actually did my Gov this time." Elena bit her lip. "I swear, Caroline said this was just going to be a quick trip. She didn't even mention the drugs."

Damon had forgotten she was still in high school. His little brother, too. "And no way will Stefan be up for going to school tomorrow." He put his head in his hand. He was not cut out to be a parent. It had been hard enough to get Stefan this far. Thank god it was his senior year and he hadn't dropped out yet. He looked up to Elena. Stefan might want to shirk responsibility, but Elena didn't. She actually wanted to get out of this rattrap city someday. To get away from shitty apartments and rude and untrustworthy people. He couldn't change Stefan, but he could help Elena. "Get your coat. I can drive you to your place."

Relieved, Elena got her coat. She _so_ did not want to face her teachers tomorrow without her homework.

She followed him wordlessly to the door where he looked back at his brother. "Maybe we can stay there for the night, too. So they can have some time to sleep it off without us waking them when we get up in the morning." As he said it he wondered if he was doing them a favor, or himself. He cleared his head as he walked down the cold apartment to the garage. Maybe it was both.

When he got to the car he grinned at Elena and tossed her the keys. "Why don't you drive?" It was a crummy piece of shit, but it got from A to B pretty nicely. Damon was still waiting for Elena to reply when he noticed how pale she'd gotten. "Oh, shit, Elena, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Elena said, trembling. The keys shook in her hand. "It's stupid to still be scared after all these years." She took a deep breath and one small step towards the car.

Damon came around to face her. He took her shoulders and looked her deep in the eyes. "It's not stupid. You were in the car with your parents. It's enough to freak anyone out."

Elena fought her tears and nodded. She wordlessly handed him the keys.

He took them, looking thoughtful.

They both got in the car. Elena watched as Damon adjusted the seat. And then he kept adjusting it until he was so far back he was practically five feet away from the steering wheel. Elena looked at him with confusion. Then he patted his lap. "How about you just steer? I'll make sure nothing happens."

Elena had never considered anything like this before. In the city, it didn't really matter if you drove, there was always cabs, the bus, or the subway. But, in an odd moment of willfulness, Elena decided she wanted to know what it was like to drive. _She _wanted to be in control of her life, not the other way around. So she climbed and sat on Damon's lap and waited for instructions.

"Put your hands on the wheel," he said patiently. With a deep breath, she did as she was told. "Don't worry about backing out of the spot, I can do it." He put his hands over hers and shifted gears.

"Are you sure you can see around me?" Elena asked, worry dripping from her voice.

He laughed away her fears. "You're pretty small, Elena. I can see fine. Don't worry. And Trust Me." His hands moved to the back of hers and he positioned them at ten and two, holding them as he moved the wheel accordingly. His legs hugged hers as he adjusted his feet to the pedals. Elena felt the safest she'd ever been in a car with him wrapped around her.

She couldn't help the terrified squeak that escaped her when the car started to move. Damon pressed against her back to try and comfort her. He slowly backed out of the space with the smoothness of a pro. Elena let out a breath of release when the car was free of the confining space.

Damon kept his hands lightly on hers as he maneuvered around the parking garage. When they came to the first turn, Damon told her to put her hands on top of his and not let go. She did as she was told and he showed her how to do a hand over hand turn, being careful not to cross arms.

She gulped when he removed his hands from hers and let them rest at her waist, a butterfly's touch. "Now you do it." He whispered in her ear.

Her hands were alone now on the wheel and as the somewhat lacking midnight traffic moved around her she started to shake violently. "I-I can't—" she was on the verge of breaking down.

"Don't cry," he said quickly. His arms curled around her stomach and he held her close. "You can do this. We're already more than halfway there. Did you notice?" She shook her head. Damon nuzzled her hair. "Well, we are. You can do this."

She began to relax against him as he held her close. He was careful to keep her arms free of restrictions.

When they were almost there, Damon softly asked, "Elena, do you trust me?"

"Of course," she breathed, squirming on his lap.

His stomach twisted inappropriately and he tried to squash the feeling her wriggling had aroused down. "Then I'm going to close my eyes. You'll have to tell me when to stop and when to speed up."

"No!" Elena said vehemently.

But Damon had already buried his head against her back and was blind. Without her direction, the car began to slow until it was at a snail's pace. Elena hesitantly said to speed up. Damon put a little pressure on the pedals until Elena realized they would have to move faster if they had any hope of getting to the apartment before school started. "More," she said, a little more firmly.

Damon complied, and as he did so, smiled against her back. He noticed her hair smelled like vanilla.

Without his eyesight to distract him, it was harder for Damon to ignore certain truths. Like how hard it made him to have Elena sitting on him. He'd tried not to notice, but it was in vain. In the beginning when she'd been so tight and tense—it had almost killed him, but he'd swallowed and choked the lust down. But now she was so relaxed in his arms, so _compliant._ It was even harder for him not to notice. And that damn maddening vanilla! He shifted his face against her back just a little.

"We're here!" Elena's delighted cry shook him out of his improper thoughts.

His hands went back over hers once more to park. She got out and was buzzing with delighted energy. She was glowing.

What's more, Damon realized, was that she was glowing at _him._ The thought made him take a deep breath. She grinned and his smile couldn't help but respond. She threw her arms around him and he lifted her up in a flying hug. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you!"

"What for? _You_ were the one who did it," Damon insisted.

Elena shook her head and her smile stayed stubbornly glued to her face. "Not without you. I'd have never been able to on my own."

They got into the empty and dark apartment. At first Damon thought they'd been robbed it was so bare. Then Damon realized Elena must just keep it clean. It certainly couldn't have been Caroline who kept it so tidy. He'd been with her for months, and never once did he see her clean anything. The only thing on the floor was Elena's backpack, resting against the wall.

Elena plopped down on the couch and started to flip through the channels.

"Hey, shouldn't you be in bed?" Damon asked as he glanced at the clock. "It's almost one."

Elena looked up at him with big brown eyes. "I don't really sleep that well. Sometimes old movies help me fall asleep."

Damon nodded. Sometimes the silence made it impossible for him to sleep, too. He always felt so alone. He settled on the couch next to her and regarded her choice as the title slowly filled up the screen. "_Gone With the Wind,"_ he said aloud and his mouth opened as he lost his next words.

Elena looked at him with concern. "It's one of my favorites."

He looked at her. "I haven't seen this since…" He blinked rapidly. "It was one of my mom's favorites, too."

They both fell silent as the film began to play out.

Sometime during the night and before the movie ended, Elena ended up closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep, her head resting on Damon's shoulder.

Damon put an arm around her to keep her close. He watched the entire picture, remembering better times when someone had held him as he drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N**_**: You can thank the White Stripes' Martyr For My Love For You for this unexpected chapter. Oh, and the lovely reviewers. You guys make me so happy. Seriously, they were some of the most thoughtful I've ever gotten. **

Caroline rolled over in bed and yawned. It felt like she'd been asleep for days. She sat up in bed and the increased elevation did nothing to clear the hazy feeling still running rampant in her head. She caught scent of something foul and grimaced. Time to hit the shower.

She stayed under the spray for a good half-hour. It was amazing how wonderful the hot water felt pouring over her body. It cleared her head a little, too. When she finally got out—because the water was getting cold, not because she wanted to—she realized she had nothing to change into. She picked up a light blue button up shirt from a stack of clothes near the towel rack and sniffed it. It smelled fine so she put it on and only bothered to get a few buttons.

She stumbled into the kitchen with purpose. "Foodfoodfood," she chanted as she danced a small victory dance when she found cereal that was hardly stale at all. She poured the colorful shapes into the biggest bowl she could find and then drenched it with milk. She was halfway through her first bite when she saw Stefan staring at her.

His face was inscrutable. Caroline wondered if the kid _ever_ smiled and made it her mission to see if she could be the one to make such an expression cross his face. She offered him a second spoon and he took it. He sat opposite her at the kitchen counter and they both started to devour the cereal.

"So," Caroline started slowly when there was only slightly off-color milk left, "What did you think of last night?" She grinned.

"Where'd you get that stuff? I was out like a light." He shook his head as if he still felt the effects.

"But you remember before, right? Wasn't that good?" Caroline's voice was tinged with the slightest bit of worry. This felt too much like rejection.

Stefan covered his eyes. "It shouldn't have happened." He seemed to feel the need to look at her again. "But yeah, it felt—I've never felt that much."

Caroline smiled contentedly and swirled around the milk with her spoon. It was clear he wasn't going to drink it, and neither was she, so she got up to dump it in the sink. She heard him grunt in surprise behind her and turned around. She caught him staring at the bottom of her ass where it had peeked out from the tail of the shirt. "See something you like?" She teased.

"You're wearing my shirt," he said accusingly. "_Only_ my shirt."

"Is it?" She asked innocently. "Do you want it back?" She undid one of the buttons and the shirt gaped open to reveal more flesh.

Stefan, ever the gentlemen, looked away. "We can't do what we did last night." Flashes of how soft her skin felt raced through his head. He could still hear her loud giggling and how he'd desperately tried to shush her. If Damon and Elena walked in they'd have been done for.

He walked back to the living room and collapsed back onto the couch. He flipped the channels to some colorful cartoons.

Caroline sat next to him. "Why not?" She challenged.

His head fell back and his eyes closed. "Because it was wrong."

Caroline slipped onto his lap and straddled him. She put her hands on his shoulders and reveled in how strong he was. "Why? Am I too old?" She pouted as she grinded into him.

"No. Damon. Elena." Stefan sounded resigned.

At her sister's name Caroline froze and her teeth clenched.

She was still on his lap and Stefan could feel her reaction. "Why do you do that?"

"What?" Caroline said angrily.

"You act like you hate her." Caroline shook her head but Stefan continued, "And she can tell, too, you know. It hurts her."

"Poor baby Elena," Caroline said bitterly. She sighed at Stefan's shocked look. "Hey, Elena is _all_ I have, okay? I love her so much." She sounded sincere, but Stefan knew she was holding back.

"But-?" He prompted.

"But she—I just can't…forgive her." She hung her head in shame. Before he could say anything Caroline continued with a quick explanation. "I know it's not her fault and I try so hard not to blame her, but I'm just so _mad_ all the time." Tears started to fall down her cheeks. Stefan put his arms up to hold her. Caroline continued, sobbing. "She was supposed to be at a sleepover. But she called mom because she wanted to go home. If it wasn't for her—then we wouldn't have been on the road. I know she was only five and it was an accident! I know it, I know, but I can't-can't stop hating her for it. And she knows and I'm a terrible sister." Caroline buried her head against his strong shoulder. She'd never told anyone this and the thought terrified her.

"Caroline—" Stefan's voice was filled with pain for her.

"That's not all." Caroline whispered quietly. "That's not the only reason why." Stefan stayed silent and waited to see if she would continue. She did. "The only homes that would take us together were shit homes. But Elena cried and cried. No matter how much I tried to tell her it would be okay, she begged for me to stay with her. So I did. I had to." Her voice was eerily emotionless as she spoke. "They were bad people. They did things to me." Her voice broke and she lost the will to continue.

"Why didn't you tell?" Stefan asked, shocked.

"They threatened that they would hurt her if I didn't let them—and I was young and stupid and—" Caroline looked down in shame.

Stefan's arms dropped from her shoulders and Caroline's heart dropped. "Why did you stop holding me?" She asked. Her worst fears had come. She finally told someone and they'd been so disgusted with her that they didn't even want to touch her.

She tried to slide off him, but he stopped her. "I didn't know if you wanted me to touch you."

"I don't ever want you to stop." Caroline admitted. Her blue eyes sparkled as she looked at him, but not with tears.

His hands slid down to her waist and he pulled her closer. His voice was tight as he spoke, "Then I won't."

Their lips slid together in the closest thing to a fairy tale kiss that Caroline had ever had. This time when they kissed there were no drugs. No doubts or guilt. Only the feel of each other. It was slow and almost like love. Were people like Caroline capable of love? She wasn't sure, but this seemed damn close. She liked that it wasn't the lust she had for Damon. It was something different, more acute. Almost like comfort, or feeling whole.

They were lying on the couch after, naked and sated. They were watching Looney Toons like lost little children. "Do you think they suspect?" Caroline asked softly.

Stefan knew what she meant right away. "That it's not just weed? No. I know Damon. He'll be in denial until it's right under his nose."

Caroline snuggled her head into his chest, comforted. She gave a delighted laugh when Bugs somehow managed to turn Daffy's own scheme against him yet again. She heard him laugh, too, and her stomach fluttered. She'd made him laugh…

A few minutes later, it was his turn to ask a question. "Where do you think they went, anyway?"

"Probably to drop her off at school." Caroline said carelessly.

Stefan groaned. "Where I should be."

"No use going now," Caroline purred as her fingers reflexively tightened on his muscles. "You've already missed half the day."

Stefan relaxed. "You're right. But Damon doesn't have work today. He could come home at any minute." Stefan sounded worried.

Caroline crawled until her face was level with his. "So let's live every second like it's our last." Her mouth dropped to his and he kissed her back immediately.

His hands went to her blonde hair to hold her in place as he gave back as good as he got.

* * *

Elena yawned and stretched before she even opened her eyes. On of her hands curled around something feathery while the other came to rest on something warm and firm. Slowly, the sense of where she was started to return. She opened her eyes to see one hand was around the base of Damon's neck, the feathery substance his soft black hair.

Her eyes snapped open when she realized that her other hand was nestled innocently in his lap. She felt something move underneath her palm and hastily withdrew her hand. Cheeks ablaze, she looked at Damon for any sign of waking. With a sigh of relief, she started to ease away from him on the couch.

She looked at the TV. The screen was dark. He must have watched the movie until the end, and then gotten up to turn it off. And then he'd returned to her on the couch… She felt her insides grow fuzzy. Her eyes slowly drifted across the room. She finally found the clock.

Fuck! She all but ran to the bathroom as her second adrenaline rush of the day kicked her in the face. She was going to be late for school.

After the world's quickest humanly possible shower she stepped out and realized she had no clothes and no towel. She spared only a glance for the dirty pile on the floor. No way was she putting those on again. She bit her lip and decided to make a run for it. Damon was probably still asleep anyway.

Damon waited until she was in the shower to open his eyes. He sighed deeply and adjusted himself. He'd felt her stir when she started to wake, and he definitely felt where her hand had landed. Being the sick, sick pervert he was, he didn't even try to move it. And he sure as hell didn't try to _not_ feel it, as a gentleman would've. He just let himself respond and feigned sleep.

He was stuck somewhere between amusement and apprehension.

She certainly wasn't helping matters. He'd just been about to get something to eat when Elena came rushing out of the shower and slammed into him. They fell backwards with her on top. And she was naked. And wet. His eyes almost rolled into the back of his head when his pants grew wet from where she landed on him and the hard-on he'd been fighting since last night roared to life.

He pretended to cough so he wouldn't have to say anything. Unsure what to do, he just put his hand over his eyes and stayed there sprawled out on the floor. But that didn't do anything to rid him of the glistening, full-body view he'd just gotten.

A few minutes later, he heard Elena approach him. His hand was still covering his eyes and he was still lying where she'd knocked him. She laughed nervously and he smiled. "I'm, uh, decent."

Damon scissored his fingers to peer up at her, as if he didn't quite trust her. He couldn't rid himself of the smile that had been on his face since the most fortuitous event had happened. It grew broader when he saw she was still blushing madly. He removed his hand altogether and sat up. "I'm going to take a shower, too. Don't worry, I'll be quick."

He grabbed his set of spare clothes from Caroline's room and showered even faster than she had. Nothing was ever said of the incident and for that Elena was truly appreciative.

Even though they were running late, Damon made very sure to drive carefully and calmly. Elena noticed and was absurdly grateful. How did he always know the exact perfect thing to do? Whether it was making her feel better or saving her from embarrassment. She still blushed as she remembered her stupidity. And he'd just stayed there with a silly little smile on his face, not saying anything. She smiled shyly at him as he drove because she knew he wouldn't see.

Students were lined up in front of the school to get on a bus. "Didn't school just start?" Damon asked.

"Field trip to the zoo. Which I just happen to be signed up for. Thanks, Damon, I got here right on time!" Elena hurried out of the car and towards her science teacher.

Damon followed at a slower pace.

"What are you doing, Damon?" Elena glanced back at him in confusion.

"I just want to talk to your teacher to make sure she knows it's not your fault we were late." Damon explained.

"You don't have to do that," Elena said, but she was touched that he'd care to.

"What happened to that government homework?" Damon asked suspiciously.

"The bus gets back before last hour so we still have to go, and gov's my last class." Elena turned to her teacher.

Before she could even get a word in, her frantic bio teacher was upon her. "Elena! Where have you been? We almost left without you, but Ms. Curie hasn't even come yet. That flake of a Home Ec teacher! We were supposed to be gone ten minutes ago! I don't even know why I invited her to be a chaperone in the first place! Interdepartmental Cooperation my ass! Oh, sorry dear, pardon my language," Mrs. Somers was about to continue her rant when she caught sight of Damon. "You must be Elena's brother! How old are you?"

Damon looked taken aback. He glanced at Elena for guidance, but the young girl shrugged. Mrs. Somers was like a force of nature. You just stepped back and let her wreak her havoc. "Twenty-three, Mrs.—"

Elena's teacher ignored the invitation to an introduction. "Oh, could I ask you an enormous favor? We are short one chaperone, and I simply can't take the kids with just myself. Would you consider joining us at the zoo?"

Elena's mouth dropped open as her teacher got right to it. "He might have work—" Elena tried to save Damon before he got roped into something.

"No, it's fine. I'm off on Thursdays. What would I have to do?" Damon seemed determined to take on this responsibility and Elena was nonplussed.

"Absolutely nothing!" Mrs. Somers assured. "They're all over 16, they shouldn't be any problem at all. It's just a legal issue that I can't leave if I have a certain chaperone to student ratio."

"All right." Damon agreed and just like that he was on the bus next to Elena as they started the bumpy journey to the zoo.

It felt wrong to her to have him next to her. He'd graciously allowed her the window seat, but Elena couldn't get passed the weirdness factor. He was an adult. He didn't belong in trivial high school world. And her brother? Really? Elena shook her head.

Damon sat there the whole time with a smile on his face. He remembered how much he'd enjoyed field trips when he was young. His mom would pack him a lunch with an extra cookie and his dad would sign the slip and pat him on the shoulder. He couldn't remember one trip _after_ they'd died, though he was sure he didn't go through high school without taking one. He made himself a promise that he'd remember this one.

After a while he looked at Elena. It seemed odd that she would be so quiet. Maybe she was mad at him for inviting himself along. "I haven't been on a bus since…" Damon smiled.

Elena looked at him for the first time since the ride had started. "You seem like you're enjoying it." His enjoyment made her smile.

"Nostalgia." He said with a twist of his eyebrows. "The good kind."

"I'm glad," Elena said genuinely.

"So, you aren't upset I invited myself along?" Damon questioned tentatively.

"Are you kidding?" Elena laughed. "My teacher all but held you at gunpoint."

He was shocked into silence for a moment.

She went pale and her whole face transformed with guilt. "Oh, my God, Damon, I am so sorry. I didn't even think. God, I am so stupid!" Her throat constricted and her eyes started to feel wet.

Damon just sat there with his mouth open. He started to laugh.

Elena was perplexed. Had she caused some sort of mental breakdown? "Damon?"

"It's-it's funny." He tried to contain his laughter and succeeded, somewhat. "I mean, it's not funny, but it is. You know?"

She shook her head. "I'm really sorry." She said it again for good measure. She needed him to know she meant it.

"I think that's the first time I've thought about what happened to her and felt okay, Elena." Damon sounded confused. The notion was mind-boggling. Acceptance, he thought, this is what that feels like. He looked at Elena. It was because of her.

"I'm sor—" she started.

Damon put a finger to her lips. "Say it again and I may decide to throw you in the alligator pit when we get there."

Elena smiled and bit his finger lightly. She held it in her mouth for a moment and ran her tongue across it as she remembered he had. His mouth parted and his eyes darkened. She almost sucked it deeper into her mouth before she remembered where she was and let go instead. She looked away and blushed.

"Inappropriate behavior for a brother and sister." Damon agreed.

Elena couldn't believe her ears and was shocked speechless.

He threw a careless arm over her shoulder and tugged her close. "As siblings, I'd say we're closer than some."

She went willingly enough, but all the while she wondered what she was doing. In no way was this right. But then she had a strange thought. Nothing they'd done had _felt_ wrong. It had just felt…good.

She let herself smile. "Can we see the leopards, first, big brother?" She blinked innocent eyes up at him and made her voice soft.

He instantly got hard and looked away. He grimaced for just a second at his own depravity before replying. "Of course, babygirl." He looked down at her and winked. The game was on.

They did see the leopards, then the monkeys, and then the penguins. She liked the way they slipped in and swam and the way they waddled when they walked.

But her favorite was the African exhibit. They got to the crocodiles and Damon picked her up around her waist and pretended to throw her in until she reminded through her laughter that he'd said alligator, not crocodile. He set her down to see some kids from their school staring strangely at them, but she could care less.

The elephants always seemed so sad to her. Maybe it was the slow way they moved. She told Damon she planned on going to Africa someday. And she'd ride an elephant. He listened with interest and didn't laugh.

He seemed to like the giraffes a lot. "Look at those tongues," he said with a smile. He moved behind her and put an arm around her waist to point out where one was grabbing leaves from the topmost branches of the tree nearest to it.

Elena didn't have eyes for the creature, though. Instead, she looked at the arm around her and wished she had the courage to place her hand over his where it rested at her stomach.

Later, she'd dragged him to the hippos by the elbow. He seemed surprised that she was so interested in them. "They're very territorial." She told Damon with excitement. "They're the number one cause of death by animal attack in Africa." She watched one swim through the clear glass tank. "Look how it dives," she breathed. "Would you ever have guessed an animal that looked like that would be so graceful in the water?" She smiled.

Damon wasn't much into hippos, but he loved the way her eyes lit up when she watched them.

They were walking towards the nocturnal exhibit when Elena stumbled over a hose that led to a sprinkler. She almost fell flat on her face, but Damon caught her. They shared a moment where they looked into each other's eyes. Then she smiled and looked down and they'd started walking again.

But somehow his hand found hers and neither let go until it was time to meet back up with the group.

On the bus ride back, they didn't sit close. Maybe it was paranoia that the others could see how they looked at each other. Maybe it was guilt for the stolen intimacy they'd shared while in the wild confines of the zoo.

But that didn't stop her from putting her hand flat on the seat next to her thigh. And it didn't stop Damon from putting _his_ hand next to _his _thigh. Their pinkies slowly found each other until they overlapped.


	3. Chapter 3

"Why don't you come back with me?" Damon pleaded with Elena as the bus stopped. Now that the ride was over he realized he didn't want it to end.

"I have class, remember?" Elena smiled sweetly.

They were the last ones as they followed the teenagers reluctantly filing off the bus one by one.

"I'll tell Mrs. Somers you feel sick. Big brother knows best, right?" Damon knew it was a lost cause before the words were even out of his mouth.

She shook her head. "Can't miss it. Not today."

Damon saw that she was adamant and gave a rueful smile. "Alright, well…learn lots."

He turned and headed back to his car. He allowed himself the wince once he knew she wasn't looking. _L__earn lots? _What a lame thing to say.

Elena watched him go with a strange sadness in her stomach. "I will," she softly promised.

Damon threw his coat over the couch the moment he walked through the door of his apartment. He was seriously considering taking a long nap before doing anything else.

He found Caroline in the kitchen, wearing only Stefan's shirt. He raised his eyebrows at her.

She gave him her equivalent look. "It was the closest clean thing I could find." Damon gave a dry smile. He headed to his room. She followed. "You weren't mad about not being able to go out last night, were you?"

He sat down on the bed. Her hands found his shoulders and tried to soothe him by slowly rubbing the tense muscles.

"No." Damon said simply. He wanted sleep, but he didn't want Caroline next to him. He was worried she'd lie next to him if he broke down and went first.

So instead he stood and went back to the living room. He picked up his jacket and hung it in the small closet near the entrance.

Caroline scoffed. "God, you're worse than Elena." Her eyes narrowed. "Speaking of, what did you two get up to last night?" She moved around the couch so that it was between them.

Damon glanced up at the tone of her voice. "We drove to your house, and then to school in the morning."

Caroline paused. "That's good. I'm glad she got there," she said distantly. She played with the fraying strings on the couch. She abandoned the strings to pick up a blanket that hadn't been there when Damon had left. She seemed lost in her thoughts and Damon was about to leave her to her silence when she suddenly looked up. "Wait, you said 'we' drove?" She was frowning.

"Yeah," Damon said lightly. "You never told me she couldn't drive."

Caroline snorted. "She would be a wreck." Her eyes hazed as she thought about her words.

"She wasn't that bad." Damon insisted.

"_Elena_ drove?" Caroline had a disbelieving half-smirk. "No way, she'd be way too scared." Her fist clenched the blanket.

Damon shrugged. "She was fine." He moved to the kitchen counter.

Caroline forced a laugh. "So, Damon the notorious bad boy convinces sweet, innocent Elena to face her fears—what are the odds?" She followed him and stood with the counter between them.

Damon just barely hid his glare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," she said slowly, moving a finger across the counter top, "Make sure you don't break her heart when you're finished with her. She's already broken, why buy it?"

Damon's heart froze for just a second. He raised his eyebrows and gave her a bland look. "Jealous of your own sister, Care? That's a new low, even for you."

"Please," Caroline spat, "I've seen the way she looks at you."

"She's 17, Caroline." Damon's voice rose. "I wouldn't—" Damon broke off when he saw Caroline's look of hate.

Her voice was quiet and dangerous. "And I've seen the way _you_ look at _her_. I get it. She's young, innocent, probably a virgin. You want to fuck her. But it's _Elena_." Caroline said the name disparagingly.

"She's twice the woman you are. And you're wrong." Damon said with an edgy glint in his blue eyes.

"Oh, but I'm not. I've been watching you two for a while. I bet I even knew before either of you figured it out." Caroline gave a grin that was closer to a sneer. "So just fuck and get over it already." She turned with a flip of her blonde curls.

"What are you on?" Damon asked quietly.

Caroline stopped dead in her tracks. "What makes you think I'm on anything?"

"You'd never say that about Elena. And you can hardly walk without swaying. And your eyes."

"Aren't you the clever one?" Caroline said in a clipped tone.

"What did you take? You don't look well." Damon might have to take her to the hospital.

She turned and he focused on her paleness. Her shallow breaths. "My looks? That's why you prefer Elena?" Her voice wavered. "How about we play a game then? I'll be Elena." Caroline moved to him and put her hands on his shoulders. " 'Oh, Damon! I'm so scared of everything, even the dark,' "

Caroline's mocking tone made Damon's teeth clench.

" 'But you're so deep, and experienced.' " She pretended to examine her conscience as she looked down and bit her lip. Then she threw herself against him and continued on in that high-voiced impression of Elena. " 'Oh, it's wrong, but-but I want you to take me! I-' "

"That's enough!" Damon grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away.

"But I'm so young and eager to please! I'll do anything." Caroline gave up the voice as she licked her lips and didn't bother to hide her malevolent grin.

"How about you be Caroline and I'll be Damon." It wasn't a question.

She rolled her eyes and turned to leave.

He caught her arm. His face was wild. "Or maybe I should be Stefan?" Damon suggested in an unreadable voice. "Would you like that?"

Caroline didn't turn around. "I don't know what you're talking about." Her voice tried to deny any wrongdoing.

" 'Just fuck and get over it', that's what you said, right? Is that what you're doing with my brother?" Damon looked at her with hate.

Her eyes were widened and scared when she finally faced him. "You don't know what you're talking about." She said in a broken voice.

"Don't I? I've known for a while," he said in a strong voice, but then he continued, softer. "I've also known about the drugs. I'm not a fool." Caroline stayed rooted to the spot. "And I'm sorry," he continued. "I should have talked to you both sooner. I—"

"Stop." Caroline looked like she was about to be sick. She held up a hand. "You don't know anything about what Stefan and I are going through."

"I went through it, too—"

"No! No, you didn't. You're not—not like us." Caroline's body started to be wracked with violent sobs. "You and Elena, you're strong. We aren't." She collapsed to the floor, sobbing and hugging her knees.

Damon knelt next to her. "It's past time I got you help. Real help. You can't keep going on like this."

Caroline made no reply as her tears streamed down her face.

"Let me take you to bed." Caroline made no move to help or hinder Damon's actions as he lifted her. He placed her in his own bed once more and tucked her in.

* * *

Elena sat down in class and quietly began arranging her things on the desk in preparation for the lesson. Everything felt surreal and her stomach still felt light and airy. She was smiling softly when the teacher started to speak.

"Surprise, everyone! Pop test." Elena rolled her eyes at Mr. S's words. Just because he didn't tell them didn't mean they shouldn't have expected it by now. He did it after every unit. Who ever heard of a pop test anyway? Maybe a quiz, but not a test.

Even so, the kids all around Elena groaned. She didn't care. She'd actually studied for this one. She did it every once in a while to make sure she didn't slip below a B- average.

She was trying to concentrate when it started. Small paper balls were being hurled at her head, along with the occasional chunk of eraser. "Psst, let me see your test!" A girl behind her whispered.

An unusually large piece hit Elena in the back of her neck. She shifted her shoulder to the side so they could see her answers. The throwing stopped. She didn't know why they insisted on copying _her._ There had to have been other people, smarter people.

It was because she was a victim, she thought bitterly. Let's see, there's a boy in the back, she thought. But he was on the football team. They wouldn't mess with him. There was the class salutatorian, Bonnie—but she'd sooner kick someone's ass than help them cheat.

Elena put her head down as she circled her last test answer. She was sick of being the victim.

Once, she'd purposefully failed so they'd get the idea that she wasn't worth copying. Needless to say, her plan had backfired. The three kids who'd copied locked her in a supply closet after school on the third floor. The janitor started on the first floor every day.

She came home later than usual with gum in hair and tears in her eyes, but Caroline either hadn't noticed or hadn't cared.

The bell rang and Elena practically ran out of class.

She ran right into Damon. He looked way too serious for this to be a continuation of what they'd experienced at the zoo. She greeted him equally solemnly. "What's wrong?"

"We should talk. It's about Caroline and Stefan." He looked around as if he'd rather look anywhere but at her. "Let me take you home, first."

They were silent the entire way.

He came into the apartment with her and sat on the couch. Elena followed, worried.

"Caroline and Stefan have been doing drugs." Damon spat out quickly.

"Um, yeah, I know—" Elena started.

"The bad kind. The _serious _kind. Meth for sure, but there may be others." He swallowed and looked away. From the shocked and horrified look on her face he guessed she hadn't even had a clue. If this was hitting her so hard, he knew she'd be blindsided by the news of Caroline and Stefan together. Damon couldn't do that. Not today.

"We have to get them help!" Elena started to cry. "Why couldn't I tell? Oh, God," her voice caught in her throat.

"We will, Elena," Damon put one hand on her shoulder and used the other to tilt her chin so their eyes met. "Just rest for tonight. Tomorrow after work we'll all talk together, okay?" He got up as if to leave and Elena grabbed his arm.

_I don't want to leave either, Elena, _he thought. Instead of saying that, though, he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. "We'll make things right, Elena."

Damon left before Elena could protest.

She settled into the couch and pulled a tattered blanket that someone had forgotten to put away around her body. She watched the door and waited for Caroline to come home.

After a few hours her eyelids started to get heavy. She tried to keep them open, but she ended up succumbing to sleep and the comfort of the old blanket.

Elena's eyes opened in a daze. She looked around with confusion. It was already morning. She was late for school. And Caroline hadn't come home.

The irritating ring of her phone drew her attention. The culprit who'd awoken her. Elena picked it up and answered.

"Elena?"

At the sound of her sister's voice, Elena's stomach dropped. She sounded more scared than she had when they were kids. "Caroline? Where are you? Are you okay?"

She heard what sounded like sobs. "Elena I think I did something bad." Her voice was slurred and panicked.

"Where are you?" Elena demanded.

"Stefan and Damon's apartment. I don't feel so good." She admitted. Elena heard a crash and the phone went dead.

Nearly hysterical, Elena grabbed Caroline's set of keys from the dresser.

Elena didn't remember the drive well at all. She just forced herself to think of Damon. Damon's arms, holding her. She could do this. He just needed to be with her. And he was. She could hear his soothing voice in her head. The petals were easier to deal with than she'd thought, although she was a bit jerky from lack of practice.

Elena parked and ran to apartment 319. "Care!" She screamed. The door was open. Elena heard the sound of retching in the bathroom and followed it.

"Caroline," she breathed in relief as she knelt next to her. She patted her sister's back and held her hair as Caroline heaved and gagged.

Caroline hardly even registered the fact her sister was there until she was finished. She pushed Elena away. "I'm fine."

"You sounded not so fine on the phone, Care."

Caroline stood and swayed. The concern in Elena's voice made her itch. She had to get away. She stumbled into the kitchen.

"Damon told me everything, Caroline." Elena followed her.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Caroline asked politely.

Elena was weary of this sudden change in attitude, but she accepted the glass of water Caroline handed to her.

Caroline poured one for herself from the same bottle and swallowed it all down in one gulp.

Elena took a small sip and kept her eyes on her sister. She looked way too pale, almost translucent. Her hair was limp and Elena could see how shallow her breathing was. "Do I need to get you to a hospital?"

"I'm fine." Caroline said sharply. Her face went blank. "Do you remember what Dad used to say to us? 'Are you getting enough water girls?'" Caroline laughed loudly.

Their father was a doctor. He told them often enough to drink more water, almost as much as their mom had told them to clean their room. As a result, the girls rarely drank anything besides water. Elena had almost forgotten the origin of their predilection. She took another gulp.

"I know about the drugs, Care." Elena said. "Damon told me everything."

Caroline gave a hollow laugh. "Did he?" She looked at the ceiling so intently that Elena looked up, too, just to make sure there weren't roaches or something. Her sister's eyes rolled into the back of her head.

Elena started forward, but Caroline was back in an instant, breathing heavily. "Back off, sis." Her blue eyes could hardly focus on Elena's.

"What did you take?" Elena asked quietly, imploringly.

"Let me have a little fun, 'Lena. For once." Her words were bitter and she didn't sound like she was having very much fun. She rocked dangerously on her feet.

Elena moved to help her, but had to stop when her vision went blurry. She was so dizzy she almost fell, but caught herself on the kitchen countertop just in time. She looked at her sister with confusion.

She was met with Caroline's slow smile. It was the worst smile Elena had ever seen. She had to look away.

Caroline ran a hand through her sister's hair. She got their mother's hair. Caroline was seized by an urge to rip it out, but just barely contained herself. It didn't seem fitting that Elena got her hair. It ruined Caroline's memory of the woman.

Elena blacked out for a moment and this time the counter couldn't save her. The next time her eyes opened she was on the ground, staring at that oh-so-interesting ceiling and wondering how she got there. Her brain felt like a breeze flew through it and sent her thoughts flying like a stack of papers.

Caroline laughed. "Look at you. On the floor moaning. Can't even get high right." She stepped a little past Elena on the floor, but was stopped by a hand on her ankle.

"What-what did you give me?" Elena gasped out.

"Something to make you a little more interesting." Caroline said with an air of false kindness. "Maybe then Stefan won't keep _coming_ back to me." She laughed loudly. "See what I did there? Maybe I'll give him a call. He might like finally seeing you on your back after all this time."

"What?" Elena face was screwed with concentration. She was trying so hard to understand, but not everything made sense. And the stuff that she did understand, Elena wished she couldn't.

Caroline looked down at her sister with delight. "Oh, so Damon _didn't _tell you everything. Well, little sister, Stefan and I have been fucking. A lot."

Elena started to cry. "No."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Yup. Isn't it better this way? Now that you know you don't have to feel so guilty about those dirty feelings about my boyfriend. Guilt would trip someone like you up. Not me, though, because I'm a bad person." She looked down at Elena for confirmation, but Elena just stared at her. "I don't mind that much, really. Let's share. I can give you all sorts of womanly tricks and secrets."

"I would never—" Elena tried, but was cut off.

"Please," Caroline dismissed Elena's words. "Damon already tried that. And he's a _much_ better liar than you are."

Whatever she'd taken made her suddenly invigorated and Elena was almost afraid to talk to her. "Please, you're my sister." Elena pleaded.

Caroline leaned down so she was closer to her face. "And what has that gotten me, Elena? Dead parents, two lovers who are inherently interested in _not me_, and a life that just generally sucks. So, thanks a lot! It's been great." Her sarcasm cut at Elena through her haze and she was stunned silent.

Caroline moved to the door, but paused before she left. She came back to Elena, who was simply crying on the floor. "How did you get here?" She asked dangerously.

"Wh-what?" Elena stopped crying. "I took your car."

Caroline's eyes were filled with hatred. "So you can drive now?" She laughed terribly. "That's great! Well, I can drive too, Elena! Watch me." Her voice was low and angry as she snatched what sounded like keys from the counter.

"Caroline, please don't leave me!" She yelled after her.

"I should have left you a long time ago, Elena!" Caroline yelled from the hall.

Elena tried to sit up, but she fell back immediately and hit her head. She saw stars and her vision was too blurry to see anything. "Please help me!" She panted. She heard the door slam.

Elena tried to breathe deeply so she wouldn't panic. She was fighting a losing battle. She started to shake as tears poured from her eyes.

She could have been like that on the kitchen floor for hours or minutes. Time blurred and escaped her grasp so that she had no sense of it. When she heard the door once more she called out like someone drowning and prayed it wasn't Caroline.

Stefan was puzzled as he entered the kitchen. The booze he'd had at his buddy's party hadn't helped his reasoning skills any. "Elena!" He yelled when he saw her crying on the floor. He picked up her head and helped her sit up.

Elena let him help her, but her eyes squeezed shut as the dizziness from moving hit her and made the light in the kitchen blur. She moaned and crushed Stefan's jacket in her fist.

"What happened?" Stefan stroked Elena's hair. He looked her up and down and recognized the symptoms. "Did you drink from a water bottle?" He asked her seriously. Caroline had showed it to him earlier. She said they'd drink it when he got home.

"Caroline—" Elena sobbed. She held on tighter to Stefan.

He seemed to understand. He slid his arms under her to carry her to the couch. He was a little wobbly and the extra weight didn't help, but he managed the trip without hitting her head against a wall. He set her on the couch with her back slightly propped up on the arm.

"Why would she do this?" Elena begged truth from no one in particular as her head swam. She started to sweat.

Stefan grabbed a beer from the kitchen and gulped it down. He took two more into the living room with him. "Elena, it'sssjus' the drugs. Y'll be fine." His words slurred and he moved her legs aside to sit on the couch next to her. He held his head.

Elena felt a little better now that she was sitting. "Why didn't you tell me about the drugs?" Her addled brain didn't stop to question whether this was the time to talk about this or not. She was just so hurt and worried.

His face turned to her and he glared. Elena gasped as his face wavered before her eyes and became an unrecognizable demon. She was too paralyzed by fear to scream and turn away. But then her vision shifted once more, and it was just Stefan again. Bloodshot eyes, pale skin, and the stench of too much liquor leaking from his pores. She couldn't decide which face was more fearful: the hallucination-monster or the real one. She finally found the strength to turn away.

"Why does it matter?" He asked angrily.

Elena felt tears fall and she shook her head.

He grabbed her shoulders. "Why does it matter?" She looked and the demon was back, its voice was the one growling at her.

"You're hurting me!" She cried.

Stefan let go, but his anger didn't lessen. "Tell me."

"I-" Elena gasped as she tried to speak. Her thoughts were rushing by her so fast that she was having trouble stringing together sentences. "I'm worried. You-you need help."

"I don't need help." Stefan said furiously. "I don't need _your _help, and I don't need _Damon's _help."

"We-we love you," Elena cried.

"You only care about each other." Stefan said quietly and withdrew.

"What?" Elena asked, worried.

He seemed so dejected as to be lifeless now. It puzzled her. "I'm not the one you want. I'm not good enough. You want _him."_

"I-no-we-" Elena couldn't slow down her thoughts and she cursed the drugs still coursing through her system.

"You can't even deny it." He said bitterly, staring at his hands.

"I've-I've t-tried to stop." Elena said helplessly.

He turned on her and Elena flinched away. "Then you didn't try hard enough!" Elena whimpered. He was silent for a moment.

"What about Caroline?" Elena asked. "I know," she sniffed. It was hard to say out loud and she still couldn't picture it.

He turned on her. "She actually cares! She gets what it's like." Elena saw guilt on his face before he squashed it down. "If you had only been there for me more, maybe—"

Elena was shaking her head in denial. It couldn't be her fault. Why was everything her fault? She began to shake and she couldn't stop.

"Elena?" Stefan grabbed her shoulders to keep her still. "Elena!"

It was minutes before the shaking stopped and every bone in her body ached and felt like it was on fire.

"I think you took too much." Stefan said softly. The back of his hand went to her forehead to brush her hair back. "You're burning up."

But his hands were claws and he scared Elena. She thrashed away. "Don't touch me!" She screamed.

He pulled back like her hot skin had burned him. "Please, Elena," he pleaded. "What am without you?" He reached out again and she flinched. His unfocused eyes seemed crushed. "I guess I'm nothing either way." He looked down.

A stabbing pain rocked through her heart. She didn't think it was possible but her breath sped up even more. She tried to restrain her scream.

"What do I do?" Stefan asked.

"Damon-I need Damon!" Elena begged for him. "Please, Damon-"

Stefan pushed off from the couch. "You're calling for him?" Elena's eyes were closed as she repeated his brother's name like a prayer. "Look at me." He demanded. She continued as if she hadn't heard. "Stop, you stupid bitch!"

Elena's head snapped back at the blow to her face. From the top of her lip to the bottom of her eye. The sound of the slap wouldn't stop ringing through her ears. When she closed her eyes she saw veins and red spots like stars.

Stefan looked at Elena as she huddled on the couch, trying to hide her face into the upholstery. She couldn't hide the red mark already visible across half her face. For just a second he wanted to do it again. He wanted to wrap his fingers around her little throat and—he turned away. He grabbed his beer as he walked out of the apartment.


End file.
